Who knew this was here the whole time. Hubby is always surprising me with hidden places. I wasn't really dressed oe had the right shoes for a stroll. We did explore for a about a hour. There is one side for fishing, and learned from a few strangers about the area and what we would need if we wanted to take advantage. Tip 1: You will need a fishing license Tip 2: Cost to enter park $5/pp We were already for warned that the beach was crowded. And it surely was surrounded by a lot of people. The picnic areas are first come first serve, and the pavilions cost about $200. You can purchase a license to serve alcohol. There are multiple areas of facilities. I think we will be back to utilize the park.

Went on a hot and humid Sunday. Entry fee $5, felt little more than other State parks I have visited. MD resident. Ample parking, full with picnic people and beach goers. Loud music was annoying sometimes, but everyone was there to enjoy. Tiny beach, so if you want to go there to have nice walk on the beach, this is not the place. Kayak and boat rental place was very popular it seemed. Many benches to sit and people watch. Restrooms were clean and enough toilet paper. Overall a clean park.

We enjoyed our visit even though the weather wasn't as cooperative as we would have liked. Walked a trail, was in decent shape and easy to follow the white trunk markers. Looking forward to going back when the weather is warmer to take advantage of the beach and snack bar.

Such an amazing area to have a wedding! The cost can’t be beat ($200 for pavilion rental + $35 for the alcohol license). We were able to pull off the most gorgeous event at such an affordable price! The park rental was so easy by using the website, and all staff we interacted with were amazing. The location is absolutely gorgeous and there are swimming and kayak rentals within a short walk from the pavilion!

It's a lovely place. We went on memorial day and got a parking space, arrived a little before 11. The water is very cold but for how hot it was it was perfect. Also got fries from the little concession stand and they were very good.

Took my car for a ride to Gunpowder State Park. This is a beautiful park with plenty of areas for a picnic, family outings, birthdays, and fun. Plenty of room for everyone to play sports, take a hike, go swimming or simply relax and read a book. There are pavilions, but I think you have to rent the larger ones. See the Ranger station for details. There are playgrounds and you can rent kayaks and canoes. A favorite time is Fall when the leaves turn. Simply Beautiful!! Take a drive and see a gem right here in eastern Baltimore County. You'll Love it.😎😎

A gem in your own backyard. Its close to the high way tucked in away from the traffic noise. A good choice for a family weekend getaway not too far from home(less gas usage) considering how much everything costs now. If you are considering going to the beach, you can get all that here, plus picnic benches and tables, grills, trails, bring your own boat for fishing, play games, have a picnic, endless possibilities.

Came here for a barbecue in the pavilions. Way to park. Bathrooms were clean. Playground nearby. Paths through the woods lead to a beautiful view of the water. I did not go the beach area but took a pic in front of it.

This place is always so crowded in the summer. We randomly decided to stop over off season. It’s actually beautiful here in the fall. The bathrooms are not open. And it’s chilly but still beautiful.

Nice public beach. 4 beach areas separated by Jetties, sand goes out around 30 feet into the water (not like swimming in the ocean, no big waves). Nice pavilions and playground space. Clean. Parking fills up quickly by mid-day on summer weekends. Great kayaking space, we rented from Eastern Water-sports located in the park. A little pricey but decent. Pics are from kayaking.

The kids always enjoy, but parking is far to lug your stuff, the water isn't the prettiest, and shade is limited. But it's always fun, safe, and the water is buoyed off and only like 3.5 ft. Great for the kids, and it being shallow means the water is always warm. Playgrounds are near the beach but in different area. The bathrooms are big but they get pretty muddy. Not the best maintained. Lots of picnic area, and you can bring your own and set up in the grass too. Also dog friendly.

Went here for the beach area, which isn’t big at all, but it’s clean, nice, and with plenty of picnic tables and grills. $3 per vehicle for MD residents, $5 for non-residents. An ice cream truck stopped by, which was nice. Lots of kids and families BBQing and playing music. The water is nowhere near clear, so if that’s something that you care about, maybe skip this one. No seashells.

Nice clean beach with lifeguards. Be careful of the sharp seashells. Wasn’t super crowded but I assume it gets busy at different times.

Back in the day I used to take my older kids here. It was our lil secret back then, and was seldom crowded. Nowadays we come through during weekdays to avoid the crowd. Still a favorite close beach

There are lots of picnic tables and plenty of grill stations. The beach area is quite spacious and clean. Plenty of parking. Another plus is the on-site dumpsters in the parking lot. Bathrooms were very clean as well.

Perfect place to enjoy a walk, little beach area, lots of areas to picnic with tables and grills. Amazing area to launch kayaks and Stand up paddle boards

Love having beaches close by to go to enjoy the water. Just a lazy day, ahhhhh! Everyone just having fun. The park has many, many places for grilling. There are trees so you can be in the shade if you choose. Just a lovely place to have a great time. It’s open year round, so I’m looking forward to extended beach time!

An idyllic drive in of a picturistic small town USA. Once inside, you'll find patches of land to relax and soak in the sun and a mostly empty beach in the back that's basically segmented sand boxes. There's no on duty lifeguards, but the water doesn't get too deep. I'm 5'6" and could stand the majority of the way to the buoy. Outside of the sand boxes filled with happy children building sandcastles and families sitting in chairs, there's scattered tables that are mostly shaded by trees with pits. If you have to go to the bathroom, there's CLEAN bathrooms located below the blue building on the beach equipped with changing rooms and lockers. Although, they're only open on weekends. Otherwise, there's four porta potties next to the building if you come on weekdays. Please bring bug spray! There are a few biting bugs and they even follow you... even into your car. NOTE: Google maps will take you as far as the entrance but just make a turn on Park Drive and you're in. It's a $3 entrance fee for MD locals and $5 for everyone else.

Squeezed in another adventure while the kid's in school. I visited Gunpowder State Park for hiking and lounging by hammerman beach. *$3 entry fee for the park via the honor system envelope box. Bring exact cash* Dogwood Nature Trail : - This was a short and sweet 1 mile hike in the woods. Great for beginners who would like to transition from flat/paved surfaces to flat-ish wooded/natural surfaces. It was a super quiet and isolated trail but beware of bees! I'm new to hiking and completed this in about 25min with hiking sandals and a large backpack. I did see 1-2 small benches along the trail for anyone who needs a sit down break. They also have these cool QR code's throughout the trail. Scan it with your phone camera and it'll take you a a website that provides education about that specific area of the trail such as wetlands, marshes, frogs etc. Neat! The trail is well marked but it did get confusing at the end near the bathrooms. Luckily it leads you right to the parking lot. Hammerman Beach : - After my hike, I drove over to the beach to cool off and relax by the water before the school day ended. This small beach was mostly empty except a few families with small children and 1 cute elderly couple. I saw a boat pass , kayakers , and a huge duck squad . There were plenty of picnic tables available and grassy areas to lay down a blanket. Parking was readily available, however, this could be attributed to the fact that it was a cloudy school day (probably more people during the weekends/sunny days). Swimming is at your own risk though the swimming area is roped off. Eastern Watersport is also located next to the beach. They offer kayak, paddle board, and jet ski rentals. The water clarity was ok for a Maryland beach. I’ve seen better water quality but I’ve definitely seen worst.

I have been coming to this beach since I was a child and now I take my own little family. It's nice and peaceful, especially during the off-season.

Very nice park! We wanted something with a smaller beach for our little ones. This was perfect. Clean. Water wasn’t too deep. Had the plenty of grass to get out of the sand. Clean bathroom with showers. Highly recommend

It was okay and lovely except for my one son Christopher he could have stayed the Buck home he got on everyone's nerves other than that we had a good time thanks family you guys are great Grandma loves you guys

This park is very pretty with lots of bathrooms. The beach was very clean with a lifeguard. Very kid friendly. The water is nice mostly sand little mud. Super nice sunsets 🌇

This is a great park and beach for day trips. I did my maternity shoot here in the fall and recently attended a wedding celebration in pavillion #2 last week. I recommend checking it out :)

Beautiful place to visit. Good land and clean beach. Nice place to seat, lot of space around the lake.Lot of space for parking..good one day picnic spot

Forcefully propped up to generate revenue and area estate. Coastal armor failure, refusal of staffing and proper care. Rather than face larger area concerns...a humble bubble of peace and tranquility has been provided to you...feast and enjoy.

Nice place if you want a day at the beach but don't want to lug the kids hours to Ocean City. I believe its $3 per person in the vehicle NOT in any kind of safety or car seat(kids=free) during the week and $5 on the weekends. They have BBQ pits to use and picnic benchs everywhere as well. Get there early if possible but it's never "crowded" but if you are a family with small ones it's better early since the big kids sleep in lol. Small beach and has sand with little rocks here and there just like OC. Some seaweed and sticks will float along but it's natural...Deal With It People!!! Good mix of different people all having a great time!!! Blanket picnic, BBQ, or chairs on the water...no matter what's your style might be it's a great place to have a good time

Great park with trails, beach, cookout areas, kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing. Well maintained and only cost $5 per person to visit.

The park is huge with plenty of room for barbecuing, picnic set-up, and family gatherings. There are picnic tables and grills scattered throughout the park, some are tucked away in shady areas which offer lots of privacy. The beach area is spacious and clean. The park was filled with families, all having a good time. I went on 4th of July weekend and the whole vibe was fun and relaxing.

Great open area for walking. The walking path is boring for me. Great picnic area and boat ramp. There are restrooms and playgrounds.

Very nice park with beautiful water views. Offers picnic tables, covered areas, playgrounds, bathrooms, grills, kayak launch area with flat water and some current options.

Clean, not over crowded and beautiful. Tables and grills are available close to the beach on grass shaded by big trees…. A Maryland gem and guaranteed good time for families. ❤️❤️❤️

A beach experience 30 minutes from Towson. This part of the bay is quiet and calm. The sand on the beach is a similar consistence to ocean city beaches. The park is spacious and flat. Excellent for walking and bicycling. It’s $3 to enter the park and and extra fee to reserve pavilions.

It is a nice place to be with family and friends and even to hold a reunion away from the noisy environment to a fresh air environment and enjoy the beach

Great get away beach grills picnic area playgrounds

The beach was full of trash and debris. Hard to find a spot to sit. I tried to go in the bathroom to rinse off and it smelled horrible and full of garbage and toilet paper EVERYWHERE! I had to walk right out without cleaning off. Id like to know why I'm paying admission if if looks this way! I'll never come back

We always have a great time when we visit Gunpowder Falls State Park. There's never a lot of people in October and November so it's great to take the dogs on a walk. The leaves on the trees were gorgeous!.

What a lovely park! We loved swimming at the beach all afternoon. Next time we go we want to use one of the picnic spots too. Bathrooms were clean and easy to find. We had trouble finding a good place to fish however, will need to do more research. Lots of parking!